Polar Bears in Svalbard

The Polar Archipelago

Trip Highlights

fly into the most northerly city in the world, longyearbyen, and experience the land of the midnight sun

Explore the epic glacial landscapes of Svalbard and the frozen beauty of the arctic ocean

wake up each day in europe’s largest wilderness and search for elusive wildlife, guided by expert naturalists and historians

Join an intimate group of just 12 passengers as you discover the wild coasts of the svalbard Archipelago


We sail Svalbard with the MV Villa

Click the photo for details about this polar expedition vessel

MV Villa Available Dates


Traveling in a Polar Wilderness

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A trip to the Svalbard Archipelago is likely to be very different from any experience you've had before. It is a true polar wilderness, the kingdom of the largest land predator on the planet Earth - the Polar bear. Polar bears are not the only denizens of the rocky fells of Svalbard. A voyage around the archipelago's rich coastline will reveal the boisterous bedlam of migratory bird colonies, rippling haul-outs of the stately Atlantic walrus, and, if luck prevails, some of Svalbard’s recovering population of great whales. Though there are no guarantees during a trip through one of Earth's last great wildernesses, here is what we can assure you of on a trip with Arctic Tern Expeditions:

  • Comfortable accommodations on a sound expedition-style vessel well-equipped for the icy waters of Svalbard.

  • Professional and knowledgeable guides who are passionate about this incredible wilderness.

  • Carefully managed operations both on the ship and onshore, with safety as our first priority.

  • Focus on putting you in the best possible places to view wildlife.

  • A personable small-group experience in which you can expect the utmost consideration as our guest.

There it was, the land under 80 degrees, a land of stern magnificence, where icebergs rear up almost to the very mountaintops, and mountain rises above mountain; there it was, inviolate, alive to the raucous voice of millions of birds, the continuous staccato bark of foxes, the castanet click as the hoofs of great herds of deer fell in a swinging trot; there it was, surrounded by waters whose surface was slashed and sprayed by schools of walrus and whales that had swum there before ever man was born.
— Jeannette Mirsky, To the Arctic!: The Story of Northern Exploration from Earliest Times

On every trip with Arctic Tern Expeditions

What is included:

  • Full room and board on your expedition vessel

  • Shore excursions with Zodiac landing craft

  • Expedition leaders who will provide expert guiding as well as tailor-made educational content

Not Included:

  • Flights to and from Longyearbyen

  • Hotels in Longyearbyen

  • Travel insurance

  • Tips and personal expenses

  • Alcoholic beverages